During my time in the HESAA program, I always hear the acronyms of CSPA and NASPA. In my first semester in the program, I would often question what these acronyms stood for and why they were often talked about. After having conversations with others in the program, I quickly understood why these conferences were spoken of so frequently. These were professional associations that offer membership and hold annual conferences that coincide with their mission statement. To be honest, before this assignment, I had no idea that there were so many associations for student affairs professionals and paraprofessionals to join. While conducting this search, I saw a plethora of associations, some that are generalized and others that focus on specific areas and demographic of individuals. There are so many types associations that provide people with great opportunities locally, regionally, and national. While browsing through each association, I noticed that each of them have different mission statements, different benefits, and different costs for membership. I decided to highlight three organizations that I am interested in joining.
College Student Personnel Association of New York State (CSPA-NYS)
CSPA-NYS is a professional student affairs organization that is dedicated to fostering the development of their members. CSPA-NYS provides professional development programs and networking opportunities for graduate students, new professionals and mid-level managers in higher education in New York State. As I stated before, many people in the HESAA program speak about this organization. This association has many benefits for its members at a low annual fee of $20 for graduate students and $30 for professionals. Some of the benefits that come with the CSPA-NYS membership include access to all of their events (conferences, drive-ins, etc.) for free or at a discounted rate; access to the NY Journal of Student Affairs; eligibility for CSPA-NYS Awards, Scholarships, and Grants; and the chance to become or find a mentor/resource for colleagues. I believe that membership with this association is very affordable and will allow me to make meaningful connections with local professionals.
To learn more about CSPA-NYS, click this link.
American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE)
AABHE is an outgrowth of the Black Caucus, which was a component of the former American Association of Higher Education (AAHE). AABHE pursues the educational and professional needs of Blacks in higher education with a focus on leadership, access and vital issues impacting students, faculty, staff, and administrators. AABHE offers three different memberships, each having specifications of the membership. Individual membership is offered to professionals: $180.00, retirees: $105.00, full-time graduate students: $55.00, full-time undergraduate students: $25.00, and contributing Members: $360.00. AABHE also offers institutional membership and state organizational membership. All three membership dues are paid annually. Generally, some of the benefits that come with membership to this association include network opportunities, free subscriptions to Diverse Issues in Higher Education and the Negro Educational Review, bi-weekly emails of job opportunities and access to the virtual career center. I believe that membership to the AABHE will be beneficial in that I will be able to learn and connect with professionals and paraprofessionals that look like me. Also, I am very interested in the International Study Tour that they hold.
To learn and read more about AABHE, click this link.
National Association for Campus Activities (NACA)
NACA is an association that provides the knowledge, ideas and resources to promote student learning through engagement in campus life. Members of NACA are provided with professional leadership development, program planning, concert management, diversity, and more. NACA offers three different memberships; associate, affiliate, and school membership. Each membership varies in cost for official affiliation. The website was very difficult to navigate and it was very unclear about the cost for membership. Nevertheless, the benefits from this association is great. Members have access to many events, programs, educational sessions, multicultural education and showcases.
To learn more about NACA, click the link.
Networking with professionals in the field and exclusive professional development opportunities are two reasons why you should join a professional organization/association. I’ve noticed that the graduate level memberships for most of these associations are significantly cheaper than professional membership. I believe that joining a professional organization will be a great way to build your professional network and development. Professional associations provide tons of resources, knowledge, and experiences in the profession of student affairs.
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